French centrist Emmanuel Macron has received weighty backing in his bid to become president from Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, sources close to the minister told AFP Thursday.

Le Drian, a widely respected member of the Socialist government, has told politicians in the western region of Brittany of which he is president that he is supporting 39-year-old Macron, the sources said.

The minister will make his backing public in an interview in Friday’s edition of Ouest France newspaper.
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Macron has never won elected office but is currently neck-and-neck at the top of the poll ratings with far-right leader Marine Le Pen.

Surveys show that if he progresses through the first round of voting on April 23 he would beat Le Pen in the run-off on May 7.

Le Drian and Macron served in the same Socialist government under unpopular President Francois Hollande, who is not running for re-election.

The Socialist candidate in the presidential race is Benoit Hamon, whose policies are considered far-left.

Macron has already won the support of veteran centrist Francois Bayrou.